One Life to Live
by LadyBauer
Summary: A trip to Chicago and some timely advice convince Lindsay to finally trust Danny with her darkest secret in an effort to move on with her life. Rated M for Chapter 3!
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first DL story, please be kind! It pretty much happens after Lindsay shoots Danny down. I haven't actually seen those episodes yet as we're behind in the UK therefore I've made up an alternative to what we now know happened in Montana.**

**I don't own CSI: New York or any of it's characters so please don't sue me, I don't own anything!**

"Alright everyone come on". The team gathered in Mac's office noisily all eager to catch up with each other after they'd had the weekend off.

"OK, now. The new AFIS software is being previewed at a conference in Chicago this week…"

Everyone collectively moaned at this because they knew what it meant. Someone would have to go and learn how the machine worked and then come back and teach the rest of the team upon its arrival.

Mac gave them all a look and continued, "Yes, two of you will have to go. Here, you can draw straws for the privilege."

He held the straws in his hand and one by one they all took one and held them up.

"Ha, have fun you two!" Stella said triumphantly as Danny and Lindsay were left holding up the two shortest straws.

Lindsay shook her head and sighed, throwing her straw into the trash in disgust.

Danny smiled and nudged her gently as they left Mac's office.

"Come on Montana, it's not that bad. A little Chicago vacation and you get my undivided attention for three whole days."

She smiled sarcastically at him, "Don't take it personally Danny I just hate these boring conferences."

"I love Chicago!"

Flack piped up from behind them as Danny smiled and walked on.

"Hey what happened to you?" She asked, leaning in to look at the cut on his cheek.

"Ah, the perp got a little fresh with me, that's all." He said trying to shake off her concern.

"You should go and get it cleaned up, Don."

"I….well, I really don't want to go the hospital. I've kind of had enough of being a patient you know?" He said quietly.

Lindsay nodded sympathetically and smiled.

"Follow me to my laboratory." She motioned for him to sit down.

Flack sat on a stool in the lab as Lindsay took the first aid kit out of the cupboard.

"I appreciate this Lindsay."

"Don't mention it, I hate hospitals too and I have nothing like your excuse."

She put on a pair of gloves and went to work cleansing and dressing the wound.

"It doesn't look too deep so there shouldn't be a scar."

"My modelling career is safe then." He said nonchalantly as she shook her head.

They both laughed as she took off her gloves. He got up and looked at her handiwork in the glass.

"Not bad, Nurse Monroe, not too bad at all."

He flashed her a million dollar smile and headed out.

Danny watched their whole exchange from his office. He envied Flack. He watched her clean his cut with a feather light touch. Then when she smoothed the band aid into position and they both laughed at something he wished that he and Flack could switch places. Her smile lingered on her face as she put the first aid things away.

Things had been better between them recently. He didn't regret telling her how he felt but he was confused at her response. She liked him but she couldn't follow through? He was sure something bad had happened back in Montana. Bad enough for her to move all the way to New York to escape it and it was obviously still plaguing her.

How could he get her to trust him enough to tell him everything? He just wanted to take care of her but she just wouldn't go that extra mile at that moment. At least she had confirmed she felt the same as he did. That was something to hope on, he thought, and now they would be spending three whole days together away from the lab. Even though he knew the conference would bore him to tears at least he'd be with her.

Two days later they sat side by side on a rocky plane heading for Chicago. Once the pilot finished telling them about the turbulence Lindsay laughed as she thought back to the speech Mac gave her in private before they had left.

"Here's the expenses credit card, for rooms, meals and transport only. Do not give this to you know who at any time. No unnecessary charges and tell Danny, no pay per view porn."

She smiled and continued down the hall beside Mac as he issued instructions like a drill Sergeant.

"I'm counting on you to set a good example and promote the reputation of the department so don't let Danny disgrace us."

"You got it boss." She pressed the button for the elevator as Mac walked away.

"Oh and Lindsay?" He called over his shoulder.

She turned around and waited

"Enjoy yourself!" He said sarcastically.

Yeah right, she thought to herself.

In the cab on the way to the hotel Lindsay's cell phone rang.

"Monroe….hey Stevie, what's up?

Danny listened to her side of the conversation. Someone named Stevie wanted her to have dinner with him later. She'd get a cab to his place for seven. There goes his plan to ask her out for a few drinks he thought.

"OK, see you later." Hanging up she knew that Danny must have been dying to ask her who Stevie was but she was going to make him squirm a little. Besides if she had told him that Stevie was her brother that would have opened up a separate can of worms.

"Making plans Monroe?"

"Just catching up with someone from back home, he's been living here for a couple of years now. I called him yesterday and said I'd be in town so he invited me for dinner." She said nonchalantly.

"You guys were close then huh?" He asked casually as the taxi pulled up to the kerb and stopped.

Still are very close. She said teasing him before getting out.

She sighed at the sound of knocking and hopped to the door trying to zip up her boot at the same time.

"Danny? What is it, I'm really late." She turned around and left the door open for him to come in.

"I was just checking in to see if you were ok to get a cab on your own and all. Hey you look nice."

"Thank you and I'm fine really." She said reassuringly as she stuffed her wallet and room key into her bag and struggled with her coat.

Danny walked forward and helped her put it on. She inhaled sharply as his fingers grazed her bare neck when he adjusted her collar.

"Thanks." She said in a half whisper.

"No problem. I'm just going to get some room service and watch some……sports."

She laughed as she followed him out of the room.

"What?" He said, looking confused.

"Mac said if there was pay per view porn on your room bill he'd kill us both."

"What? That one time in Miami; it was a mistake on the bill I swear to God." He felt the flush rise in his cheeks as he looked at his shoes.

"Of course." She smiled warmly as she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button.

"Goodnight Cinders," she said to him as the doors shut.

He smiled wryly and let himself into his room several doors down from hers.

Across town a tall, handsome man opened the door with a smile on his face.

"Hey LC!" He said enthusiastically and gave his sister a warm hug, lifting her up slightly.

Lindsay smiled at his nickname for her.

"Hey back SC." She closed the door behind her and hung up her coat.

"Something smells good big bro." She said as her stomach agreed with her.

"Something always smells good in my kitchen. Whereas if we were in your kitchen….."

"You would smell burning, yes I know."

They laughed and fell into their usual routine of cooking and teasing each other at every opportunity.

After dinner they left the dishes in the sink and sat down on the sofa to talk.

"So Linds, any guys on the horizon?" He asked.

"Well….." She smiled going slightly red.

"Oh yeah, spill."

"There's this guy I work with….."

"Uh-huh?"

"His name's Danny. He's a great guy and he told me a little while ago that he likes me."

"Let me guess, you ran screaming in the other direction? Accurate?" He announced, knowing his sister all too well.

"Very" She gulped the last of her wine and set the glass down.

Leaning against him she sighed.

"You gotta stop being afraid LC. If he's a nice guy and he's actually come out and admitted that he likes you then you should go for it. You only have one life to live and you'll always regret it if you let him go."

"I know you're right but it's just hard to make that first step. I have a hard time trusting guys." She frowned and looked away.

Steven pulled her around and hugged her, messing up her hair because he knew she hated it.

"Stevie! Every time!" She said as she smoothed her hair back into place.

He pulled away from her and laughed.

His words remained in her head as she rode the elevator back to her room. _Only one life._ She knew it, so why couldn't she just throw caution to the wind?

Danny had been listening out for her for a while and finally heard her as she dropped something out of her bag. He got up to look out the peep hole.

"Dammit!"

"Easy Montana."

She looked up from the floor and smiled at him.

"What are you still doing up?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were ok. You know, that you got home ok I mean, we're in a strange city here and all that."

She couldn't help but smile sweetly at him. He was babbling and seemed nervous as he patted the back of his neck and looked everywhere but her face. She decided to take a chance.

"Do you want to come in for a beer?"

"Oh sure," he said a little too eagerly as he grabbed his room key and followed her.


	2. Chapter 2

She was glad she had cleared up the room a little before she left. Danny seeing her underwear lying on the floor would not have been good.

She handed him one of the beers that she'd just opened as he sat down on the edge of her bed. She kicked her boots off and lay down beside him, propping her head up on some pillows.

"So, I thought you wouldn't be back until a lot later." He said, taking a sip of his cold beer.

She smiled as she sipped her beer and looked up at him. She knew he'd suffered enough.

"Danny, I spent the evening with my brother, Stephen. He's an architect. He's been living here for a few years and I haven't seen him in quite a while."

"Ahh…I thought you were…."

"Thought I was what? Looking up an old boyfriend?

"Yeah", he almost whispered.

She smiled as he looked away, going slightly red.

"Jealous?" She asked carefully, sitting up.

He stayed facing the window as he said,

"You know I am. I'm jealous of everyone who's with you when I'm not. I was even jealous of Flack when you patched him up the other day. I'm an asshole."

She frowned at his last statement and touched his hand.

"No you're not."

He shivered from her touch and got up.

"Look I'd better go before I start saying other stupid stuff."

"I think what you just said was really sweet. I'm flattered. Danny….."

She got up and took his hand.

"Please stay for a little while longer. I think about what happened in the hallway all the time. It was unfair of me to do that; to have told you that I like you a lot and then to just leave you hanging like that. This is hard for me. I haven't told this story to anyone for a long time. I don't even like thinking about it."

"You don't have to…." He started but she interrupted.

"Yes I do." She said determination.

She motioned for him to sit back down beside her on the bed.

"When I lived in Montana I was seeing this guy called Luke. He was your typical small town hero; Quarterback, Prom King, straight A student all that kind of stuff. We started dating in college and everyone was so surprised. I mean, I was the science geek; not first choice for a guy like him but I guess he saw something in me."

Danny smiled briefly when she referred to herself as a science geek.

"We moved in together and a couple of years ago he asked me to marry him. The night of our engagement party he'd been drinking a lot and over something and nothing we got in a fight. I always just left the room when we'd fight and then we'd both cool down and everything would be fine but this time he was different. He was aggressive and he squared up to me and I pushed him away. Then he drew back and slapped me."

"I was just so shocked. I mean, he was a big guy on the field but off he could be such a gentle guy. The next day he cried and said how sorry he was and God help me, I believed him. However, after that it happened all the time. I became a great storyteller inventing these elaborate excuses for my bruises and cuts. Everyone believed me because for one, I never lied and also it was so unbelievable that Luke could do such a thing."

Danny listened intently, his anger rising.

"It went on for about a year and we got closer and closer to the wedding. I just knew that if I married him some day he'd kill me but I couldn't see my way out of it you know? So one day I come home and he's in our bed with some girl. I was actually relieved because I thought this is my chance to get out. So we yell and scream and I lock myself in the bedroom and pack my stuff. Even though he's pounding on the door for me to let him in, I feel hopeful."

Lindsay shut her eyes briefly at that.

"After about ten minutes the banging and the yelling stopped outside the door and then I heard the front door slam. I thought he'd left. Twenty minutes later I came downstairs to grab some pictures and then I was headed for my parent's house. I know this sounds silly but I just knew that if I could get to my Dad and tell him what Luke had done that he'd protect me and never let him hurt me again."

Danny couldn't help but smile at her complete trust in her father. He was glad that there was at least one man she could trust at that time.

"I picked up my bag and walked through the kitchen to get to the garage. When I opened the door he was there. He punched me and pushed me back in. Then he dragged me through the kitchen by my hair yelling and swearing at me; kicking me. He dragged me up the stairs but I broke free and lost my balance. I fell and knocked myself out on the banister at the bottom."

"When I woke up I was in a chair in the living room and he was sitting opposite me, looking at me. I told him I was leaving him and tried to get up but I was in so much pain. He told me that the only way I was leaving that house was in a body bag and then he beat me to within an inch of my life. I guess he though he had killed me because he took time to pack a bag before he left me there on the living room floor with a fractured skull, broken ribs, fractured pelvis…the list goes on."

Danny shifted because with every injury she described he loved her more and hated this man even more for inflicting such pain on this woman that he loved. He watched her as she paused for a second. She had sub consciously wrapped her arms around herself in a protective motion. He couldn't imagine how painful this was for her but he was full of pride that she thought enough of him to share this with him. Suddenly all of her strange behaviour was beginning to make sense.

"My mother found me the next morning. They never found Luke. It was like he'd disappeared. I'd see his family around town, always looking at me like they knew something I didn't. They knew where he was of course. They hassled me on a regular basis and finally my boss convinced me that I should just get out of town; make a fresh start somewhere else. Everything just snowballed. I got this job, changed my last name and moved all in the space of a few weeks."

"What's your real last name?"

She smiled at him, "Carter."

She shook her head.

"Anyway so now do you see why I couldn't start a relationship with you or anyone? I still have no idea where Luke is. It's not over for me. Not until they find him and put him away."

"So why did you tell me all this?"

"I can't deny how I feel about you anymore Danny. I don't want to. I told you all this because I wanted you to know everything about my past in case it changed anything for you."

"It doesn't change a thing for me." He replied immediately wrapping his arms around her tightly as if trying to tell her that he alone would protect her from her greatest fears.

"I'll never let him hurt you again, I promise, but it's been a long time, he's probably made a new life for himself somewhere else."

She nodded

"Now you've got to do the same."

"I know you're right and I'm tired of waiting for him to make his move but it's just hard to completely accept it after what he did."

He smiled and stroked her hair away from her face. She shut her eyes, enjoying the warm and gentle touch that made her feel so safe. He wanted to kiss her so badly but he knew that wouldn't be right after she'd just trusted him with her biggest secret. So he settled for kissing her cheek instead.

God he smelt good, she thought.

He got up and pulled her with him. He held onto her hand tightly and led her to the door. He opened it and stepped out into the hallway, letting go finally.

"So the next few days we'll be all business but when we get back to New York, I'm taking you out on a real date and we're going to have a great time."

He gave her a sexy smile and disappeared into his own room. As she lay in bed that night she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her chest and she could breathe freely for the first time in a long time. She wished that he was in bed beside her now, naked or not, she longed to fall asleep and wake up in his safe arms.

True to his word the next two days were all about AFIS and what crossed between them that night wasn't mentioned again. Their good natured banter remained to her relief and the next week he made good on his promise.

She sighed as she collected her things from the locker room and was startled by Danny's voice behind her.

"Hey there, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, why are we going somewhere?" She said innocently.

"Hell yeah we are. We are going to get some dinner because I am starving!"

She smiled and followed him out to his car.

Throughout dinner they talked about anything and everything. She always had such a good time with Danny, even when they were working. She was the most relaxed she'd ever been and was regretting not doing this sooner.

Like the gentleman he was Danny walked her up to her apartment and stood guard as she found her keys. She opened the door and motioned for him to come in but he hesitated. Her stomach lurched as she looked at the uncertainty on his face. He saw her panic and felt bad.

"It's alright Montana it's just, I don't know what's going to happen if I go in there with you. I don't know if you're ready and I also don't know if I'll be able to stop myself so maybe this should be where we say goodnight this time.

She nodded with understanding and thought for a second.

"Danny, I really appreciate how careful you're being about this, I do. I also know that I don't want to say good night to you out here. I know how I feel and I know what I want. Please come in."

He took a step towards her but she put her hand on his chest,

"How come you're so sure you're gonna get some once your in here anyway? Do I look that easy to you?" She said with a smile and finally let him in.

As she shut the door behind him she felt his hands on her waist spinning her around and back against it. Danny stepped towards her like a predator seeking to devour his prey until there was barely an inch between them. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the anticipation of what was about to happen almost killed her.

He leaned in to take her lips and ………..

Ha ha! I would now like to issue an invitation for someone to write a love scene for this part. This is because I'm not great at writing them. Hopefully there should be enough room for you to submit your entry as a review and I'll give you full credit when I post it.

(I love reader participation!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Well who would have thought that my best friend would have stepped up to the plate and written this chapter!**

**Full credit for Chapter 3 therefore belongs to Miss Kitty and her first foray into fan fics!**

As she shut the door behind him she felt his hands on her waist spinning her around and back against it. Danny stepped towards her like a predator seeking to devour his prey until there was barely an inch between them. Her heart was pounding in her chest as the anticipation of what was about to happen almost killed her.

He leaned in to take her lips and stopped just short of them, looking deeply into her eyes as if for permission. She answered him by leaning in and letting him take her. She groaned with relief when their lips finally touched, reaching around him and pulling him tightly against her.

When their hips touched it was his turn to moan. Still devouring her mouth he felt blindly for the lock on the door and once it was turned shrugged his jacket off. Hers joined it on the floor seconds later as they both became more desperate in their movements. His hands travelled down her body to the backs of her thighs, gently lifting her up.

She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist never wanting to let go of him. For some reason they both stopped kissing for a second and stayed like that. Lindsay smiled into Danny's shoulder as she thought how they looked. Her in Danny's arms still pressed up against the door and him standing in a puddle of their coats. He kissed her forehead and said,

"You navigate Montana."

She smiled and obliged, "Turn 180 degrees and walk straight ahead until you get to a closed door."

He smiled at her accuracy and patted her ass as he followed her instructions as best he could without really being able to see where he was going.

As they walked she began an assault on his neck with her warm mouth and he almost dropped her as his knees began to buckle with pleasure. She smiled as the effect she was having on him was obvious. After a joint effort of opening and closing the door he set her down carefully on the bed and stepped back.

As he took off his shirt and t-shirt she had a small wave of panic. Thoughts raced through her head at lightning speed.

"Oh my God, Danny is in my bedroom, undressing, we're going to have sex….." She shook her head as he walked towards her.

At that point she couldn't think anymore as Danny stood before her bare-chested with his jeans undone some of the way like a Calvin Klein model. He took her hand, kissing it lightly, and pulled her up to stand beside him. Once again he took her in his arms and kissed her gently but forcefully.

As he did so he expertly found the zipper on her skirt and undid it, helping it on its way to the floor. She stepped out of it and kicked off her shoes at the same time. He helped her out of her shirt and let out a low whistle as he beheld the very nice underwear he suspected was just for him.

Her cheeks flushed and he kissed them both.

"Very nice honey, very nice."

She turned the tables on him and pushed him down onto the bed. She pulled his jeans off and crawled up his body slowly taking care to rub against him the whole way whilst never breaking eye contact. They both took in a sharp breath when their groins briefly connected and it was like someone had started a fire that needed to be put out very soon.

He gently flipped her over so that she was underneath him. He lovingly kissed and caressed every part of her he could get to as she moaned with desire for him. Along the way he removed her underwear and his boxers and wondered if she'd even noticed with the noises she was making.

In the middle of all this he was quite impressed with himself but he wanted this first time to be special for them both. He wanted to take all the pain away and make her feel safe and loved.

"Danny?"

"What is it baby?" She smiled briefly when he called her baby for the first time and hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"You have got to hurry up and get inside me now." He looked up from her stomach and smiled at her eyes, heavy with lust.

"This is all really nice but I need you NOW. We can do this next time I promise."

"Now that was HOT. Your wish is my command."

He got up and picked up his jeans, fishing for his wallet. She sat up and took his hand, shaking her head.

"You don't need one. I'm on the pill, it'll be alright. I want to feel you, all of you." Her hand grazed down his stomach and brushed against his erection and he closed his eyes, licking his lips.

He nodded and laid her back on the bed. She wanted this to be special too and he could honestly say she was making him feel that he was the only man for her. He brought the covers up around them and took off his glasses, setting them on the table.

He kissed her on the forehead and then on each cheek before slowly entering her. She hissed as it had been so long for her it actually hurt her a little bit.

"Are you ok?" He asked her.

She smiled at him and wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him in even deeper and making him moan into her hair.

He began to move and kissed her softly holding her tightly. She could feel her climax building and without thinking she did something she had never done with anyone else. She looked into Danny's eyes just as they were both reaching the end.

She thought she might drown in his eyes as something unknown in his chest tightened. Danny Messer had known a lot of girls and slept with most of them but this feeling was foreign to him. As they both came finally he knew that what they were doing was more than sex, it was making love. Before he'd always thought it was only people on TV movies who said that but now for the first time as he looked into Lindsay's beautiful eyes he finally understood what that meant.

They lay in silence for a while as they both recovered. Simply holding each other; kissing occasionally and touching sensitive skin.

Finally, Danny broke the silence.

"That was intense."

"Yeah it was." She looked up at him as he stroked her rosy cheeks. "You're going to stay aren't you?"

"For sure I am because we are doing that again!" He said trying to lighten the moment.

"Very funny but…"

"I know what you mean and of course I'm staying. I seriously don't think I could walk anyway."

They both laughed and he drew her in closer for a kiss.


End file.
